Brendan Helmore granted bail after allegedly lighting Easter Saturday bushfires at Ulupna

A Golden Square man who allegedly lit more than 30 bushfires while tourists camped on the Murray River has been released from prison after he was granted bail.

Bendigo man Brendan Helmore allegedly lit 30 bushfires at Ulupna on Easter Saturday.

A Bendigo miner charged with lighting bushfires at a popular Murray River camping spot has been granted bail.

Brendan Helmore, 44, was charged with conduct endangering serious injury, intentionally causing a bushfire, recklessly causing a bushfire and possession of a drug of dependence earlier this year.

It is alleged Mr Helmore lit roughly 30 separate fires on Easter Saturday in the Barmah National Park in Ulupna.

The bushfires took the CFA and forest management authorities seven hours to put out and that

five of the fires were classified as “major”.

The popular tourist spot of Ulupna.

Mr Helmore was on extended personal leave from his job as an underground operator at a mine in Western Australia and was suffering from an acute drug-induced psychotic state at the time of the alleged incident, the court heard.

The court heard Mr Helmore had spent a lot of time camping in the area and grew up in nearby Numurkah.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski granted Mr Helmore bail, where he must reside at a residence in Beveridge and will face a curfew.

Mr Helmore, of Bendigo suburb Golden Square, cannot visit the Moira Shire under his bail conditions.

Mr Zebrowski told the court that Mr Helmore may have a defence of “mental impairment” which weakened the prosecution case somewhat.

Mr Helmore will return to court at a later date.